The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1887-12-10

in when I step out. So make up your
mind to push things"

in when I step out. So make up your
mind to push things"
| So saying, Miss Keturah lighted her
bedroom candle and departed, leaving
her brother sitting by the kitchen fire,
his newspaper on his knee, and a rehec-
tive expression on his meek, kind face.
He sat thus for long time. He couldn't
put his mind on the county news, or
the statistics of the Agricultural Socie-
ty, which had possessed so deep an in
terest for him previous to his sisters
announcement of her approaching mar
riage with an elderly farmer of an ad-
joining county.
The news had "upset" the Deacon
He had gone on in quiet, humdrum
way for SO long, that he had never an
ticipated break in the domestic tread
mill. 1t had never entered his mind
that his practical, energetic sister might
marry. And he had never thought OF
marriage for ss'mself until tonight, and
NOW frC wa5 5surP-:---1-4--E-.1Lli li---4-41--
idea was not repugnant to him. In
fact, he rather fancied it, and even
wondered if Miss Todd was at all like
Keturah in appearance.
Keturah had told him to "push
things" but it was hard order to fol-
low. He had never pushed things in
his life, but had been pushed by them /;
and had it not been for the excellent
management of his energetic, sensible
sister, the farm would not have done so
well. But he was reused to earnest
thought, now that he found the support
on which he had leaned so long was
about to be taken away from him. He
saw very clearly that, as Keturah had
said the only thing to be done, under
the circumstances, was for him to
marry.
He thought the subject over in all its
various bearings, as he sat alone by the
kitchen fine; and when at length he
lighted his candle and sought his own
room, he had made up his mind to ask
Miss Thankful Todd on the first reason
able opportunity to be Mrs. Jeremiah
Bassett.
A nights sleep did not alter his de-
termination; and when, early the next
morning, his sister suggested that he
had better be moving out toward New
Bethany, he went obediently out to
the station, and harnessing the old
white mare into the spring wagon,
drove on down the shady country
road.
It did not occur to him until he had
gone about five miles that he had made
no change in his dress, and had forgot
ten the note of introduction he was to
carry.
"That comes of never going courting
BEFORE" he muttered, with vague re-
gret that he had missed early expert
ences in this line. "But I'll trust to
luck in introducing myself, and if she
is as sensible as Keturah says she is,
she won't like me any less for having
on my OLD grey clothes.
Miss Thankful Todd came in exhaust
ed from long and bootleSs chase over
the Darnyaru, CfOvcI ne1u anu pasture
after the old black rooster, who mani
tested such strong prediction for
scratching in bed of double portulacas,
that she had resolved to coop him up
until the portulacas should have ceased
to bloom. But after an hours hard
running under the rays of hot Au-
gust sun, Miss Todd had been forced
to acknowledge to herself that the
ROSTERS endurance was greater than her
own, and to leave him painting in the
wood lot while she went painting into
the house, which she had all to herself
to-day, her maid -of-all-work having
gone off to picnic several miles dis
tant.
Miss Todd was not only very tired,
but very warm, as well. One shoe had
burst open at one side, her gingham
apron had been torn by vicious black
berry briar, and her hair, usually so
smoothly coiled, was scattered over
her shoulders in the widest confusion.
"Plauge take the rooster - she eiac=
ulated, as sank into chair, and tanned
herself with the remnant of her ging-
ham apron. 81 wish he was in
Guinea"
At this moment she heard the gate
of the yard open and mans step on
the walk.
Gland O. mercy? who ken that be ?
and me in this state - muttered Miss
Todd. and she leaned out of the win
dow to investigate through the screen
of wild grape vines.
She gave one look at the visitor and
drew her head in with jerk.
"I'm sick to death O. them tramps !"
she exclaimed, "and the impudence of
'em too, coming round to the front
door, jest like they was company come
on invitation.
She stalked through the entry and
threw the front door open with such
violence that the man outside started
back as if he had received blow.
He was mild looking man in shah
by gray coat, and old fashioned, neck
cloth and shoes thickly coated with
dust. He returned very deprecatingly
Miss Todd's searching look.
"Well, you're shabby, dirty look
ing figure, I must say !" exclaimed the
irritated spinster, who had never been
noted for her sympathy with the lazy.
sAnd what did you please want7 A
dinner, I doubt not. You tramps al
ways manage to come around jest at
dinner time.'
"But," began the man, in a meek
protest, w-"
"Don't make any excuses" interrupt
ed Miss Todd. 81 know 'em all by
heart. You're hungry, l suppose
they all are. You've walked long
way-they all have. You've been
unfortunit-they've all been unfortunit.
Well, I suppose I'm to be pestered
with tramps as long as / live here. |
might as we'll make my mind up to it,
and learn to bear it with PATIENCE
There's hardly day but one of them
stops to ask for a dinner. But they
don't get it for nothing, | can tell you.